E-cigarettes a risk to more than just oral health, study finds

CLEVELAND, U.S: The controversy over the safety of electronic cigarettes persists, and some people regard vaping as a public health epidemic. Experts have typically focused on the long-term detrimental health effects of vaping. However, vaping devices can also cause severe burns, and a growing body of evidence suggests that they are a fire hazard.

“We’ve seen cases of people keeping an electronic cigarette in their shirt pocket, and it hitting a coin, or their keys, causing a short circuit and causing a fire,” said Dr. Baruch Fertel, a physician in the Center for Emergency Medicine at Cleveland Clinic in the U.S.

In a recent study conducted at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, U.S., researchers identified over 2,000 reports of burn injuries caused by e-cigarettes over two years. Fertel believes that the risk of explosions or burns from e-cigarettes is highest when people try to make their own devices or use batteries that are not suitable for their e-cigarettes. “It’s important that they use the ones that the manufacturer creates specifically for this purpose and that have appropriate safety features.”

According to Fertel, lithium-ion batteries are prone to overheating. Purchasing them on the internet may mean that they have not been approved for powering an e-cigarette. Fertel also cautions users not to charge the vaping device for an extended period or overnight, as this can cause it to become dangerously hot. Finally, if an e-cigarette device becomes too wet or damaged, it is advisable to discard it.

Editorial note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently published an article in which it offers advice on how to avoid e-cigarette battery explosions and explains other safety issues related to vaping.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil: Dental anxiety is globally regarded as a public health concern owing to its effects on an individual’s oral health and quality of life. The prevalence of the condition in children ranges from 5% to 61%. A recent systematic review assessed whether distraction techniques reduce anxiety during dental treatments in children and adolescents.

TUCSON, Ariz., U.S.: The obligations of dentists in society extend well beyond oral health. Recently, the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Phoenix published an article that brings to light the important role dentists can play in identifying domestic violence victims. According to the authors, the purpose of the paper is to bring dentistry and its subspecialties into the conversation about traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically in cases of domestic violence.

Birmingham, Ala., U.S.: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) recently completed a surgical procedure in the jaw area of a patient—which would usually take several months—within a day. For the patient, who suffered from a tumor in her chin, the surgical procedure ensured her ability to eat, drink and speak normally.

CHICAGO, US/LONDON, UK: A new study presented during the 2018 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions held recently has suggested that brushing one’s teeth at least twice a day for at least 2 minutes may reduce one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.